Marcil, HJ14.J 



THI': ORCHID WORl.U. 



carries a reddish-crimson blotcii, from wliich 

 the specific name is derived. It is a spring 

 riowering species. 



L. costata comes from Peru and carries a 

 large ivory-white flower, tlie hp fringed at the 

 sides. It usuall\- flowers during the months 

 of January and Februar)-. 



L. Deppei is a Mexican species which has 

 long been in cultivation. The flowers have 

 oblong green sepals dotted with chocolate- 

 purple ; the smaller petals are pure white. 

 The lip IS three lolied, yellow with crimson 

 dots. It is a winter blooming plant and lasts 

 a long time in perfection. 



L. fulvescens is found m Colombia, and 

 may be described as more interesting than 

 showy. The sepals and petals are yellowish- 

 brown, the lip orange-brown, fringed at the 

 margin. 



L. gigantea is a native of Colombia, where 

 it grows to a height of thirt\- inches. The 

 stout scapes bear a solitary flower, which 

 usually measures six inches across. The 

 sepals and petals are olive-green, the lip of a 

 rich maroon-purple margined with orange- 

 )-ellow. It proves useful by flowering during 

 the winter months. 



L. lanipes somewhat resembles L. gigantea 

 in its method of growth. The large flowers 

 are greenish-white, the front lobe of the lip 

 serrated. It yields a number of flowers 

 during the autumn months, and makes a 

 useful plant where cut flowers are required. 



L. macrobulbon comes from Colombia, and 

 usually loses its leaves before flowering. 

 Sepals greenish-yellow, petals and hp bright 

 orange-yellow, faintly spotted with brown. 



L. macrophylla is a Peruvian species with 

 large bulbs. The bold fl(jvvers have olive- 

 green sepals and white petals tinted with 

 rose. The lip is thickly spotted with purple. 

 F'lowers in winter and early spring. 



L. Skinneri is the most popular species of 

 the genus. It is very free flowering, and finds 

 a place in every amateur's collection. The 

 large fleshy flowers arc from (\\c to seven 

 inches across. The colour is usually rose- 

 pink, but varies from i)ure white to rose-purple, 

 ft is a winter blooming plant, lasting a long 

 time in flower, and well worth cultivating. 



Mr. JAMES OBRILN. 



ON the formation of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society's Orchid Committee, 

 Alarch 2()th, 1889, just twenty-five 

 years ago, Mr. James O'Brien, V.M.I I., was 

 appointed honorary secretary, a position of 

 note in the Orchid world, and one that he has 

 faithfully attended with l)ut smgularl)' few 

 off-days from duty. 



Mr. O'Brien was born at Llanelly, 111 .South 

 Wales, on Januar)- 2()th, 184 J, but soon after- 

 wards removed to London, and received an 

 education to enable him to enter the Civil 

 Service. During" one of the hohda\ s he paid 

 a visit to his brother, who was then in charge 

 of the important collection of Orchids owned 

 by Mr. East, at Lee, Kent. Mr. O'Brien's 

 interest was at once aroused, and he forthwith 

 accepted an engagement to work along with 

 his brother in the cultn'ation of Orchids. 



He next secured an mii)ortant post at 

 Messrs. Parker and Williams, Paradise 

 Nursery, Holloway, where he gained further 

 experience. From there he went to Chelms- 

 ford, and spent three years with Mr. Robert 

 W^arner, who was preparing an important 

 work on Orchids, and then accepted an 

 engagement with Messrs. Hugh Low and Co., 

 where he acquired further knowledge on 

 imported plants. 



Mr. O'Brien's ne.xt engagement of import- 

 ance was when he was appointed Orchid and 

 plant foreman to Mr. R. S. Holforcl, of 

 Westonbirt, the father of Lieut.-Col. Sir 

 George Holford, and an owner of one of the 

 most extensive private collections in the 

 country. Another change gave him charge 

 of Mr. Robert Hanbury's collection at Poles, 

 Ware, and still another when in the early 

 sixties he acted as general manager to Messrs. 

 E. G. Hender.son and .Son, of Wellington 

 Road, .St. John's Wood, and Pineapple 

 Nurseries, Maida Vale. This he resigned in 

 1882, and removed to Harrow-on-the-Hill, 

 where he has ever since lived. 



Other plants besides Orchids lia\e received 

 Mr. O'Brien's attention, such as Abutilons, 

 Begonias, Nerines and .Sonerilas, although he 

 is best known as an Orchidist. He is one of 



VOL. IV 



18 



